Work-clamp-operating device for sewing-machines.



T. M. MoLAUGHLIN 6; R. R. HUGHES, JR- WORK CLAMP OPERATING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES. APPI-Y'ZATION FILED APR.28,1908. 93 1 700, Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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f MAKWMOWVW i la . e. Figure 1 is-a rear side elevation of a fiatbutt-on sewing machine of the Well-knoWr V a? oarried by the bracket 38 attached totlre opening and closing-the same, and d a transverse section through the forked end of;

seems M. MOLAUGHLIN AND ROBERT nnerres. IE, or win, NEW r'on ,,-lissie1\ oits rornn' srnsen MANUFACTURING conranr, A CORPORATION OF nrnvymnsnr} WQRK-GLAMP-OPEEATING DEVKCEE 380R SEWING-MAGHIZTESJ To an whom '51: mag] concern:

Be it known that we, Trrorms M. Mo- *LAUGHLIN and ROBERT E. Hnenns, J r. citi- Zens-of the United States, residing at Utica,

in the county of Oneida and State of New -York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Work Clamp Operating Devices for Sewing-Machines, of Which the following is a specification, reference being had'fthereiit to the accompanying drawings. ;Th1s invention relates to an improvement in that class of machines designed for pro-- ducing groups or successions of stitches in the attaching of buttons to garments and in stitching tacks and buttonholes in tabrics' The invention has for its object. to provide means whereby the Opening of the work- .clarnp is effected by automatically acting means so that the last 'stitch'of a group. or

the wvering oft'he threads at the endoi a stitching operation, may be Wholly com pleted before the work is released or 'tnr'ocd by theopening of the Work-holder.

The present improvement is embodied ina machine of the character described in which the upper or movableclamp-member of stitches of predetermined number and to thereafter release the same to permit the opening of-the clamp under the action of said spring.

The invention will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in 'which Singer typerepresented in the'Uni-ted States paten-tto J. J. Sullivan,'No. 777,564, dated Deceinber13, 1904. Fig; 2 is a bottom plan fv'iew of a portion oat the jogging mechanism for the Work-holder. Fig; 3 is a perspective View of the Work-clamp and the means for the "operatzii'ro; lever.

Specification of Letters Patent.

connected at one end t 418'. niacl ne-is constructed- .With the its-rial plarbe 1 and overhanging bracket-arm c ying the main-shaft 3 connected by;

roe-ans of the Worm l and-"worinwheel (represented in dotted -l ines"in Figflj'fio the camheel 6. The cam-Wheel is provided in its rearward face with a eain 'grodve' 7 entered by a stud 8 upon the upper end of a vibrating lever 9 tulcruined lOnpon 'af bracket 11 mounted upon the bed-plate and having upon its lower end a ball and-s'oc'ket connection 12 with the rearward end ofa link-member 13 having at the oppositeen d a swlvel-bloclr 14 carrying a clamp-screw 515' entering a segmental slot 16 in a lateral arin 17 of an angular lever mounted upon the fixed fulcrum-stud 18 and haVIng-an arm 19 pivotally connected at 20 witness-stat of segmental link 21 Whose otlier-endfis pivotally connected at 22 witha'rectahgular slide-block 23 connectedwith the slide-plate 2st which is in turn attached to the bottom of the lower clamp-lever 25-carrying the clamp-plate 26 at its outer end. The camgioove 7 is formed to imparttlirou'glrtlie mechanism just described a jogging motion to the Worlrh-older in relation to forming mechanism.

The upper member of the WOfk-llOltlQI'jid in the form of a button-clamping javffQT composed of separable parts mounted upon the forward end of the clamp-supporting 28 which is secured for a slight ising and fall ng movement Within the bearing.

block 29 secured upon the rearward end'o't the clamp-lever The clamp-arm 28 1s confined againstedgeivise movement means of the guide-arm 30 securedby means v of a bolt 31 upon the block 29 and provided with the depending lips 32 embracing the edges of the arm28. The middle portion of the clamp-member 28 1s eni-bracedby-the spaced members 33 andfid "of the laterally disposed arm 35 of an operating leverjhaw ingya hub 3 6 mounted 'upon'a fiilc-rinn-ipin bed-plate 1 and having an upright 'a-rni' 39 cam-Wheel 6 comprising a: concentricportion and a hole or depression adapted lo rec'eive said pin. [a clamp-liftingfspring carrying .a laterally extending sore 111 -40 resting upon a peripheral cam-track ofith'e h a" perforated the top of the clamp-arm 28 and whose upper end is engaged by the outer end of the flat spring 47 whose opposite end is clamped upon the-lever-arm 35 by means of the screw 48. As will be observed, the

thrust pin46 and spring 47 serveto afford a yielding connection between the, operat-- ing lever and the clamp-arm, which latter normally rests upon the lower member 34 of the fork under the pressure of the spring 47, but is permitted'to rise and force thet-hrust-pin 46 upwardly in opposition to the 'spring 47' under variations in the,

thickness ofthe work interposed between the members'26 and 27 of the work-holder.

As' herein represented the machine comprisesa rectilinearly reciprocating needlebar 49 carrying the needle 50 which in practice cooperates with an oscillating shuttle of well-known formin the production of stitches.

As full illustrated in the United States patent befbre mentioned, the main-shaft carries the fast andloose pulleys 5l and 52 to which. power ;is communicated from the source of power by a belt controlledby the belt-shipper 53 carried by a vibrating lever 54 forming a member of a stop-motion device which is pivotally mounted at its lower end in a projection 61 on a bracket 62 and l which carries a plunger-rod 63 pressed up- 40 wardly'into operative relation with a stoppin cam 51?; rigidly attached to the fast pullcy 51'. The said vibrating lever is pressed laterally by'the usual spring having a tendency 'to force the upper end of the same outward, but which tendency is restrained by the detent-lever 64 which serves to retain the start and stop-motion lever 54 in its inoperative position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Mounted in'ears 65 of. the -bracket"62 is a bell-crank lever 66 the lower arm of which impinges against the said start and stopmotioii lever, so that by depressing the upper or outer arm of said bell-'crank lever,wh1ch is in practice provided in its outer end with a hole 67 to receive a treadle connection, said lever may br "Forced inward to start the machine when .iesired. The forward end of the detent-lever 64 isadapted to be tripped by means of one of the two tripping points 68 upon th'einner side of the cam-wheel 6 to cause the start and, stop-motion lever 54 to assume its operative position. and to throw the belt-shipper 53 and shift the plun ger-rod '63 into operative relation with the stopping cam 51*. As in all machines of this class provided with a stop-motion device,

the momentum of the moving parts causes them to rotate for a part of a stitch-forming cycle'after the tripping of the stop-motion device to bring its coacting parts into operat-iv'e relation, and prior to the positive engagement of the stopping'members to forcibly stop the machine at predetermined positions ofthe parts.

As actually constructed, the machine represented in i the accompanyingv drawings s provided-with thread cutting mechanism by which; the u perthfread is severed at the completion 0 each stitching operation, and

the-cut end of thread is'di'sengagedfrom the material preparatory to asucceeding 'operation. According to the present improvement, the thread pulling arm 55 is carried by the depending. arm' 56 of a bell-crank lever -fulcrumed'at57 upon a stud 58 depending from theheajd' of the bracket-arm, and havinga lateral arm 59 embraced by a laterally forked arm 60 carried by the pin 45. As. willibe observed, when the upper clamp-member or clamping jaw27 is low-' ered from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 3 by means of the chain 61 or other connection of the lever-arm 35 with a treadle or knee-lever below the machine, the lower operative portion of the thread pulling arm 55 is shifted in one direction across the needle-path, and when the clamp is raised, the action of the arm 60 upon the bell-crank lever 56 59, causes the arm 55 to move in the opposite direction across the needle-path and to draw the cut end of needle-thread clear of the work.

In the operation of the machine, the chain 61 isdrawn downwardly to lower the upper clamp-member from the position shown in Fig, 1 to that represented in Fig. 3, and the machine is isimultaneously set in motion, which 'causes t-he slow rotation of the camof the peripheral cam-track beneath the operative end of the follower pin 40, which serves to lock the lever '35 in operative position in which it remains throughout the stitching operation. Simultaneously with.

the arresting of the machine following thev tripping of the stop-motion device, the hole or depression 42 in the peripheral cam-track comes beneath the point of the follower pin 40, and the latter is'enabled to enter the same under the stress of the clamp-lifting spring 43, the release of the operating lever thus eflected causing. the automatic lifting ofthe-upper clamp-member to -rclease the work.

It will be observed that by loosening the lock-nuts applied-to the threaded portion of the cam-followcr pin 40, the latter may be turned to adjust it upon its carrying arm 3!) toward or from the cam, so as to correspond ingly adjust the initial position of the lateral arm 35 to accommodate the clamp to conwheel 6 so as to bring the concentric portion semen siderable variations in thickness of the work which may not be sufiiciently provided for by the yielding connection between the present improvement is shown and described herein, it isto be understood that the present invention is not limited tothe p'art1cu lar embodiment herein (lLSClOSQCl, but is susceptible of material variation in the construction and arrangement or parts of the clamp operating mechanism.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention what we claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and a stopmotion device for controlling the action of the same, of a work-holder comprising a movable clamping jaw and a pivotally mou-ntedclamp-arin carrying the same, an

operating lever, a. yielding connection, in-' cludinga separate spring, between said lever andthe clamp-arm, and controlling means forsaid operating lever independent of the stop-motion device whereby the clamping jaw is raised from and lowered upon the work. I

2. Ina sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a workholder comprising a movable clamping jaw and a clamp arm carrying the same, an operating lever, a yielding connection, including a separate spring, between said lever and the clamp-arm, a second spring acting in opposition to the first-named spring in rais-- ing said clamping jaw, and controlling means for said operatinglever comprising manually actuated means for lowering the same upon the work and automatically controlled means fpr maintaining the clamping jaw closedfliapon the work and for releasing said lever to permit the clamping jaw to rise after the production of a group of stitches of predetermined number.

3. In 'asewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and a stopmotion device for controlling the operation of the same, of a work-holder comprising a" movable clamping jaw, a plural-armed oper ating lever, a connection between one arm of said leverand the clamping jaw, an operative connection from said arm of the lever extendingbelow the work-holder, a rotary cam, means actuated by said cam for tripping the stop-motion device into action, a

follower carried by a second arm of said lever and actuated by said cam independently of the stop-motion device, and a spring for lifting said, clamping jaw and maintaining said followerin operative relation withsaid cam.

l. in a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of aiworkholder comprising a movable clamping "jaw and a clamp armcarrying'the same, anoper ating lever having apor'tion ergtgandirig above, said clamp-arm, a spring-pressed thrust-pin oarriedby said lever and resting upon said clamp-arm, a spring for littingsaid te p ing jaw, manually actuated means applied tosaid lever for lowering said clamping jaw,

uponsaid lever'tor maintaining thesame in lowered position and forthereafterreleasing the same to permit its rise mder'th'eaction'z i of the clamp-lifting spring? 5 In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, or a work-f holder comprising a movable clamping {jaw and a clamp-arm carrying,thesame, an operating lever havingnflportion "extending above said clamp-arm and providediwitl'i an" aperture, a thrust-pin extending throughsaid aperture in the'lever-arm andresting upon the clamp-arm,- a spring carried by said lever-arm and engaging the'adjacent end of said thrust-pin, a spring for lifting said clamping jaw, manually actuated means applied to said lever ife-r lowering said clamping jaw, and automatically actuatedmeans acting upon said l8V6P-fO1{ maintaining the same in lowered position and for thereafter releasing the'saine t'o perinit its, rise under the fiction of'the clamp-lifting Spring 1 r I, I

6. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-formingmechanismfof workholder comprising a movable clamping jaw and a clamp-arm carrying the same, an operating lever forlzcd laterally to embrace, said clamp-arm and having its upper member provided with an aperture, a thrust-pine);- tending through said aperture in the leverarni and resting upon the clamp arm, a spring carried by said lever-arm and en gaging the adjacent endof 'said thrust-pin, a spring for lifting said clamping jaw, manually actuated means applied to said and automaticallyactuated means acting,

lever for lowering said clamping jaw, and

automatically actuated, means acting" upon said lever for maintaining the same in lowered position and for thereafter releasing the same to permit its rise under the action of the clamp-lifting spring.

7 In a sewing. machine, the-combination with stitch-formingmechanism,.of a work- I depression, operative connections between said cam and the work-holder for shifting the same relatively to the stitch-forming mechanism, a follower for said cam-track mounted upon asecond arm of said operand "manually actuated arm, a bell-crank ating leverandadjustable thereon toward and from said cam, a spring for'lifting saidclamping jaw and maintaining said follower inoperative relation with means connected with said lever and leading below the workclamp-for lowering said clamping jaw upon the work. p

8. In a sewing machine, the combination 1 VJ it) w th stitch-forming mechanism comprising a reciprocating thread-carrying needle, of a work-holder comprising a movable clampii'ng-jaw and a' clamp-arm carrying the same, a laterally forked arm carried by said clamplever mounted upon a fixed fulcrum adjacent the needle-path and havingone of its arms embraced by said forked arm, a thread pulling arm carried by the other arm of said bell-crank lever and having its operative portion movable in a path crosswise of the needle-path, an operating lever, a connection between said lever and the clamp-arm, a'spring f r raising said clampingjaw, and controlling means for said operating lever comprising manually actuated means for lowering the same upon the work and automatically controlled means for maintaining the clamping jaw closed upon the work and for releasing said lever Q to permit the clamping jaw to rise after the production of a group of stitches of predetermined number. 9; In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism and a stopmotion device therefor, of a work-holder said cam,

.tripping the stop-motion said operating lever automatically after the tripping of the stop-motion device for openv ing the work-holder.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism, of a traveling work-holder comprising a clamping jaw and a clamp-armcarrying the same, a spring normally-acting to raise said clamparm, an operating lever mounted upon a fixed fulcrum and having a yielding connection with said clamp-arm for moving said clamping jaw into engagement .with

- the'work, and means for actuating said 0perating' lever;

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS M. MQLAUGHLIN. ROBERT R. HUGHES, JR.

Witnesses:

H. R. HEMMENS, J. G. DEEOKE,

and means acting upon 

